Extensible ladder foot



yMarclgzlS,19350. T. G. RICE 1,751,173

EXTENSIBLE LADDER FOOT Fld March 30, 1928 Inventor 'Patented Mar. 18, 1930 UNITED` STATES PATENT; oFFlcE THOMAS G. RICE, OF HAMMONDSPORT, NEW YORK EXTENSIBLE LADDER FOOT ApplicationV led March 30, 1928. Serial No. 265,873.

The present invention relates to improvements in attachments for ladders and has for its principal object to provide an extensible foot or association with one of the legs or 45 side rails of a conventional ladder whereby to vbring the ladder into upright position even though it be standing upon a sloping, angular or irregular surface, thereby providing a firm footing and preventing slipping and consequent injury to the Workman.

One of the important objects of the present invention is to provide an extensible foot for a ladderl that can be readily and-easily adjusted, the attachment being of such constructionf as to permit the same to be associated with a conventional ladder without necessitating any material alterations and this without impairing the strength of the ladder.

'A still further object is to provide an extensible ladder foot of the above mentioned character which is simple in construction, inexpensive, strong and durable and further well adapted to the purposes for which it is desi ed. Y

Other objects and advantages will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing, formin a partof this specication, and in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout 'the same Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the lower portion of a ladder showing my extensible Vfoot attachment mounted on one 3? of the side rails, the thumb nut being shown disengaged from the bolt,

Figure 2 is a detail perspective view of the slidable unit, forming -a salient part of the invention,

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken approximately on the line 3 3 of Figure 1, and

Figure 4 is a similar section showing'the manner in which the slidable unit is secured in adjusted position on the adjacent side rail .of the ladder.

In the drawing wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown the preferred embodi- `ment of my invention, the numeral 1 desig- ,l

character will at all times be positive and *j nates the side rails dof a conventional ladder, 5 the rungs being shown at 2. The lower end portion of eachside rail is formed with a f transverseopening 3 in which is disposed a sleeve 4 carried by a circular base plate 5 that is disposed within a cutout portion provided therefor in the outer face of each side rail and this base plate is rigidly secured in the cutout portion 6 by the work screws 7 in the manner as clearly shown in Figures 3 and 4. The outer face of the base plate 5 is formed with the horizontally extending corrugations or teeth 8 as disclosed in Figure 1 and the f its lower end and 'is formed with a laterally disposed ground engaging portion 11. AThis flat elongated bar 10 is formed with a longitudinally extending slot 12 and the innerface of this flat bar is formed with the transverse corrugations or teeth 13 for cooperation with the horizontally disposed corrugations or teeth 8 formed in the outer face of the base plate 5.

A guide bracket 14 is provided for the upper end of the slidable bar 10 and the outer face of each side rail 1 at a point above the base plate.

For the pur ose )of locking the slidable bar in any vertica ly adjusted position whereby the teeth 13wi1l be maintained in locked engagement with the teeth 8 I provide a bolt 15 that extends throughthe sleeve 4, the

`head of the bolt engagin with the inner face of the side rail while t e threaded end exl tends through the slot 12 formed in the bar 10 and a thumb nut 16 is threaded on the outer end of this bolt for engagement with the outer face of the slotted bar 10 as clearly shown in Figure 4. j

Inl this manner, the extensible footl may be properly adjusted on either one of the side rails o a conventional ladder whereby to maintain the ladder in anupright position regardless of the surface on which the ladder is adapted to rest'.

An extensible foot of the above mentioned efficient in carrying out the purposes for which it is designed, and due to its simplicity,`

the same can be readily adjusted and can furthermore be associated with a ladder structure without necessitating any material al- Y terations of the parts of the ladder with which said extensible foot is to cooperate.

While I have shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that various changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is A In an extensible foot for ladders, wherein l one of the side rails of the ladder is formed with a transverse opening and a cutout portion in the outer face of the lower end thereof, a base plate for disposition in said cutout portion, a sleeve formed on the base plate for disposition in said transverse opening, the outer face of the base plate being formed with transverse teeth2 an elon ated slotted bar arranged for vertlcal slida le movement along the outer face of the side rail, a guide bracket secured on the outer face of the side rail through which the upper end of said slotted bar extends, a ground engaging 'foot formed on the lower end of said slotted bar, the inner face of said slotted bar being formed with transverse teeth for cooperation with the transverse teeth on the outer face of the base plate, a bolt extending through the sleeve and the slotted bar, and a nut threaded on the outer end of the bolt for engagement with the outer face of the bar to lock the bar in any vertically adjusted position.

Intestimony whereof I aiiix m signature.

THOMAS RICE. 

